To change your name on your Social Security card, complete Form SS-5 (it's free) and submit it with a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order, plus proof of identity. You can apply online in many states through a my Social Security account, by mail, or at an in-person appointment. Your new card arrives in about 5 to 10 business days. Do this first, before the DMV or passport office, because other agencies verify your name against the Social Security database.
Updating Social Security is the first step in any name change, and getting it right makes everything after it go smoothly. It's also free and usually quick. The catch is the paperwork: Social Security is strict about documents, and one uncertified copy is the most common reason an application gets bounced.
Here's exactly what to file, how to submit it, and how to avoid a rejected trip.
The Form (and the Cost)
You'll complete Form SS-5, the Application for a Social Security Card. It's free to download from the official SS-5 form page on SSA.gov, and there's no fee for a replacement card with your new name. You're not getting a new Social Security number, just a card that shows your new legal name.
How to Fill Out and File Form SS-5
The form is one page and takes about ten minutes. Here's how to get it right the first time.
Download and print Form SS-5. Use the official SSA.gov version so you have the current edition. There's no separate "name change" form; the same SS-5 handles a new card, a replacement card, and a name change.
Enter your new name in item 1. This is the name exactly as it should appear on your card and in SSA's records. Spell it the way it reads on your court order or marriage certificate, hyphens and all.
List your old name in item 2. Item 2 asks for the name shown on your most recent card. This is what links the application to your existing record, so don't leave it blank.
Fill in the rest accurately. Date and place of birth, your Social Security number, parents' names, and citizenship status all need to match SSA's file. Mismatches here are a common reason for delays.
Sign and date it. An unsigned SS-5 is rejected automatically, so this is the easiest mistake to avoid.
Submit it with your original documents. There is no online filing of the paper SS-5 itself; you submit it by mail or in person, with your evidence attached. (Some states let you skip the paper form entirely through an online my Social Security request, covered below.)
Leave the application blank where it doesn't apply, but never guess on the name fields. The card you receive will read exactly what you wrote in item 1.
Why Your Social Security Number Never Changes
A name change updates the name attached to your record, not your number. Your nine-digit Social Security number is assigned once and stays with you for life. You should not ask for, or expect, a new number when you marry, divorce, or change your name by court order. SSA issues new numbers only in rare, documented situations such as ongoing harassment, abuse, or certain identity-theft cases, and even then it's a separate process with its own evidence requirements.
This matters because your number is the thread that ties together your work history, your future benefits, and your tax records. Keeping the same number means your earnings keep building under one record. Filing Form SS-5 for a name change simply asks SSA to print a fresh card with your updated name on the number you already have.
What Documents You Need
Social Security needs to confirm three things, and only originals or copies certified by the issuing agency are accepted, never plain photocopies or notarized copies:
Proof of your name change: a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree (with name restoration), or court order showing your new name.
Proof of identity: a current U.S. driver's license, state ID, or passport (in your old or new name).
Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful status: only if SSA hasn't already verified it (a passport or birth certificate works).
All documents must be unexpired. One wrinkle: if your name change happened more than two years ago, you may also need an ID in your former name to link you to your record.
Why "certified" is the word that matters. A certified copy is one issued and stamped by the office that holds the official record, the county clerk, the vital records office, or the court. It is not a photocopy you made at home, and it is not a copy a notary stamped. SSA returns your originals after it verifies them, but it won't accept a plain duplicate. If you only have a photocopy, order a fresh certified copy from the issuing agency before you apply; it usually costs a small fee and a few business days, and it saves you a wasted trip.
Non-Citizens and Work-Authorized Individuals
If you are not a U.S. citizen, SSA needs proof of your current immigration status and work authorization on top of the name-change document. That typically means an unexpired foreign passport with your visa, plus your I-94 arrival record, and your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) or other work-authorization paperwork if you have one. Lawful permanent residents bring their green card. Bring the original of each, the same no-photocopies rule applies, and make sure the name change is reflected in the document you submit when possible. If your records are tied to an A-number, list it accurately on the SS-5 so SSA can match your file.
How to Apply: Three Ways
Online (fastest, where available). If you have a my Social Security account, you can often request the new card entirely online. This is available in many states (21 participate as of recent SSA updates), typically for marriage-based changes where you have a valid state ID and can upload your certified marriage certificate.
By mail. Print Form SS-5 and mail it with your original documents to your local SSA office. Use the SSA office locator for the address. Mailing originals feels uncomfortable, so use trackable mail; SSA returns your documents.
In person (by appointment). If you can't use the online service, book an appointment, walk-ins generally aren't accepted. Bring the completed SS-5 and your original documents.
How Long It Takes
Once SSA verifies your documents, your new card is mailed in about 5 to 10 business days. Your record updates during that window. There's no paid expedite, and you don't need one; it's already fast.
Why You Must Do Social Security First
Social Security is the master record for name and number verification. The DMV, the IRS, and the passport office check it electronically. As USA.gov puts it, "other agencies learn of name changes through the SSA." Nevada's DMV, for example, won't process a license name change until SSA is updated.
There's also a timing detail worth planning around. After SSA updates your name, the change isn't instant everywhere; it takes roughly 48 hours to propagate to the systems the DMV checks. Under the federal REAL ID rules, your state's DMV verifies your full legal name against SSA before printing a compliant license or ID. Walk in the same afternoon your SSA card was approved and the DMV's lookup may still show your old name and bounce you. Wait two business days after your record updates, then go.
Update Social Security first and the rest fall in line. Skip ahead and you'll likely get rejected at the DMV. For the order to tackle everything else, see our name change checklist and the dedicated guide on how to change your name on your driver's license.
Tell Your Employer and the IRS
Once your name is updated with Social Security, loop in your employer's payroll or HR team and update your name in their system. Here's why it matters: the name and Social Security number on your W-2 have to match SSA's records. When they don't, the IRS can't reconcile your wages, and a mismatch is a classic cause of delayed tax refunds and rejected e-filed returns.
The IRS itself doesn't take a separate name-change form from individuals; it pulls your name straight from the Social Security Administration. That's the whole point of doing SSA first. Practically, that means you don't file anything special with the IRS, you just make sure your employer reports your wages under the correct, updated name so the IRS, SSA, and your tax return all line up. If you changed your name late in the year, double-check that your W-2 reflects the right name before you file, and confirm current guidance on IRS.gov if your situation is unusual.
Common Reasons Applications Get Rejected
Photocopies or notarized copies. SSA accepts only originals or agency-certified copies. This is the number-one rejection.
A name that doesn't link to your record (especially for older changes). Bring an ID in your prior name if needed.
Expired ID. Your identity document must be current.
Applying too soon after a wedding. Wait at least 30 days so the state marriage record is on file.
An incomplete or unsigned SS-5.
After Your Card Arrives: The DMV and Beyond
Give SSA a couple of business days to update, then head to the DMV. Important: your new Social Security card alone usually isn't enough at the DMV, you'll also need the underlying legal document (the certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order). Bring your current license, the legal document, and any state form.
After that, work through the rest: the IRS (just file your next return under the new name), passport, banks, and employer. For your passport specifically, see how to change your name on your passport.
Changing a Child's Social Security Card
The process for a minor follows the same path, with one difference: a parent or guardian signs and files for the child. This comes up most often after an adoption or a court-ordered child name change.
You'll complete the same Form SS-5, and you need to show two things in addition to the name-change document: proof of the child's identity and proof of your relationship or custody (so SSA knows you have the authority to request the change). For an adoption, bring the adoption decree or the court order; for a stand-alone name change, bring the court order granting it. The child's existing Social Security number stays the same, just as yours does, and the new card is free.
A practical note for adoptions: if you're still finalizing the adoption and don't have a permanent name yet, SSA can sometimes work from the documents you do have, but it's usually cleaner to wait for the final decree so the card matches it. If you're navigating this, our guide on how to change a child's last name walks through the court side of it.
Replacement Cards: Limits and Cost
The card itself is always free, SSA never charges for an original or a replacement Social Security card, so anyone asking you to pay a fee for the card is not the SSA.
There is, however, a cap on how many cards you can request: generally three replacement cards in a year and ten in a lifetime. The good news is that legal name changes are an exception and don't count against those limits, and neither do card updates tied to a change in immigration status. So a marriage or court-ordered name change won't burn through your allowance; the cap is really aimed at people who keep losing cards. Either way, most adults rarely need the physical card. What matters is that your name in SSA's record is correct, since that's what other agencies verify against.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it free to change my name on my Social Security card? Yes. Form SS-5 and the replacement card are free.
Can I change my name on my Social Security card online? In many states, yes, through a my Social Security account, usually for marriage-based changes with a valid state ID and a certified marriage certificate. Otherwise apply by mail or in person.
What documents do I need? A certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order, plus proof of identity (and citizenship if SSA hasn't verified it). Originals or certified copies only.
How long does it take? About 5 to 10 business days for the new card to arrive.
Do I have to do Social Security before the DMV? Yes. The DMV verifies your name against SSA and will reject the change if SSA still shows your old name.
Will my Social Security number change? No. Only the name on your card changes; your number stays the same for life. You should not need or request a new number for a name change.
Do I need to tell my employer? Yes. Update your name with payroll so your W-2 matches SSA's records. A mismatch between your W-2 and SSA is a common cause of delayed or rejected tax returns.
Do I have to file anything with the IRS to change my name? No separate form for individuals. The IRS gets your name from Social Security, so once SSA is updated and your employer reports wages under the new name, your tax records line up on their own.
Can a notarized copy of my marriage certificate work? No. SSA accepts only the original or a copy certified by the issuing agency. A notarized photocopy is not the same thing and will be rejected. Order a certified copy from the county or vital records office instead.
How do I change my child's name on their Social Security card? A parent or guardian files Form SS-5 for the child, along with the court order or adoption decree, proof of the child's identity, and proof of your relationship or custody. The child's number doesn't change, and the card is free.
I'm not a U.S. citizen. What extra documents do I need? Bring proof of your current immigration status and work authorization, such as your unexpired passport with visa, I-94, green card, or Employment Authorization Document, in addition to the name-change document. Originals only.
Is there a limit on replacement Social Security cards? Generally three per year and ten per lifetime, but legal name changes and certain status updates are excepted and don't count toward those limits.
The Bottom Line
Changing your name with Social Security is free and fast, file Form SS-5 with certified proof of the change, apply online, by mail, or in person, and your new card arrives in about a week. Do it first, because every other agency takes its cue from Social Security. Then move on to your license, passport, and the rest.
Handling a full name change? LegalFriend's name change service prepares your paperwork and gives you the complete step-by-step.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Social Security procedures change; confirm current requirements at SSA.gov before applying.
Sources
This guide's requirements and timelines come from official U.S. government resources (linked inline above):
U.S. Social Security Administration, "Change Your Name," the SS-5 form, and the SS-5 documents page: forms, accepted proof, the no-photocopies rule, and replacement-card limits.
U.S. Social Security Administration: 5–10 business-day card timeline, the online (my Social Security) option, and documentation for non-citizens.
USA.gov: why to notify Social Security first.
IRS guidance: keeping your name consistent with SSA so your W-2 and tax return match.
State DMV and federal REAL ID guidance (e.g., Nevada) on verifying your name against SSA and bringing the legal document, not just the new card.
Procedures were current as of 2026; confirm the latest at SSA.gov.
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